DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department stayed busy over the past few weeks, making arrests for DUIs, drugs, and assaults.  

On July 15, 46-year-old Stephen Anthony Patterson of Pine Grove Road was arrested for aggravated assault. He is under a $10,000 bond and will be in court August 1.

According to DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray, on June 23 Patterson displayed a pool stick during an argument with his wife. Authorities alleged that Patterson stated that he was going kill her, causing her to fear for her life. Patterson allegedly busted the windows to a vehicle which the woman was sitting in, causing the broken glass to hit her in the eye and facial area resulting in injury.

On July 17, 24-year-old Dakota Leestorm Fathera of High Street, Alexandria, was arrested for driving under the influence. He is under a $2,500 bond and will be in court August 1.

Sheriff Ray said that a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Ford Taurus for failure to maintain its lane of travel, and made contact with the driver, Fathera, and found him to have dilated glossy eyes and was sweating profusely. Fathera submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He allegedly admitted to having smoked up to three marijuana joints prior to driving.

On July 18, 49-year-old Mark Bradford Frasier of Roy Hudgens Road, Sparta, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident. He is under a $7,500 bond and his court date is August 8.

Sheriff Ray said that Frasier fled the scene of a motor vehicle accident that damaged a Caney Fork Electric Cooperative guy wire and a fence belonging to another. Witnesses at the scene identified Frasier as the driver of the vehicle.

On July 19, 24-year-old Breydon Dale Jones of Turner Drive, McMinnville, was arrested for public intoxication. He is under a $1,500 bond and is due in court on August 8.

Sheriff Ray said that a deputy made contact with Jones walking on Jefferson Road. Jones allegedly smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech. Jones allegedly admitted he had left Fishlipz bar and was too drunk to drive.

On July 20, 39-year-old Victor Alfonso Cardenas of Havron Street, McMinnville, was arrested for driving under the influence. He is under a $2,500 bond and will be in court August 8.

Sheriff Ray said that a deputy was traveling south on McMinnville Highway when he observed a white Chevrolet Cavalier leave its lane of travel multiple times. The conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Cardenas, who smelled of alcohol. The man allegedly admitted to having six beers prior to driving. His had red and watery eyes and his speech was slurred. Cardenas submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks.

That same day, 39-year-old Marvin Orlando Varela of Haywood Lane, Nashville, was charged with driving on a revoked license and possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He is under a $15,000 bond and will be in court August 8.

Sheriff Ray said that a deputy was patrolling Dale Ridge Road when he noticed a black pickup truck failing to maintain its lane of travel. He initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Varela. A background check through central dispatch revealed that Varela’s driver license was revoked for two previous DRL offenses in 2020 due to a DUI.

During an inventory of the vehicle, another deputy found a small bag with a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine which weighed 0.47 grams.

On July 21, 32-year-old Denys Edgardo Herrera of Joe Tittsworth Street, Smithville, is charged with driving under the influence. He is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is August 8.

Sheriff Ray said that a deputy was traveling west on East Broad Street when he spotted a red Honda leaving its lane of travel multiple times.

The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Herrera, who allegedly smelled of alcohol, had red watery eyes, slurred speech, and his movements were slow.

When asked to get out of the vehicle, he hesitated, and forgot to put it in park, causing the automobile roll forward. Once the vehicle was stopped and Herrera got out, he became very unsteady on his feet. Herrera admitted to having consumed five alcoholic beverages prior to driving.